Impressions
by sidonian
Summary: "Is something the matter, Lord Revali? Your feathers seem a bit ruffled."


Revali didn't wait to so much as learn the Hylian Champion's name before deciding that he didn't like him and that he, quite possibly, never would.

There was very little sense in him giving the boy chosen by the sword that sealed the darkness the benefit of the doubt when there were already _so many reasons_ to loathe him unconditionally. The thought that he, arguably one of the most distinguished individuals in all the Rito tribe, would be expected to play subordinate to some _flightless nobody_ was nauseating by itself, but when he remembered how excessively the village and the envoys and even the _elder_ built this Hylian up...and based primarily on simple hearsay, no less...!

 _Ugh._ Goddesses, it was enough to make his gorge rise.

'The youngest ever to have been appointed a knight,' they said. 'Handpicked by the king of Hyrule himself,' they said. A 'gifted swordsman'-as if any of that was anything to be impressed by! Indeed, Revali was quite sure that this-this _boy_ would not be enjoying the spotlight he currently did were it not for the nature and history of the sword he wielded.

His _entirely apt_ judgment did not, however, stop the Rito from approaching him the day he and the princess of Hyrule arrived at the mountain his kin had made their home. It would only be prudent, he reasoned, to properly size this celebrated knight up and confirm his suspicions beyond a shadow of a doubt before making his grievances known to the Hylian royal family.

So without any semblance of hesitation or care for tact, Revali wasted no time following his release from the meeting with the elder and the Hylian princess Zelda in ascending to the landing upon which the unfortunate (and thankfully alone) target of his ire now stood. His taloned feet met the wooden railing with practiced ease, and for an incredibly satisfying moment he smirked at the look of surprised bewilderment on Link's face.

(Because that was apparently his name, simple and uninspired though it was.)

In the next it had shifted to a sort of faux joviality.

"Impressive, I know. Very few can achieve a mastery of the sky, yet I have made an art of creating an updraft that allows me to soar. It's considered to be quite the masterpiece of aerial techniques, even among the Rito."

Revali paused to allow his words a chance to sink in before continuing, wings lifted in a half-shrug.

"With proper utilization of my superior skills, I see no reason why we couldn't easily dispense with Ganon. Now then..."

The Rito hopped down from his perch atop the railing, allowing his arms to fall to his sides before clasping the tips of his wings behind his back-the very picture of lazy confidence as he paced past the Hylian before him.

"My ability to explore the firmament is certainly of note...but let's not-pardon me for being so blunt-let's not forget that I am the most skilled archer of all the Rito. Yet despite these truths, it seems I have been tapped to merely assist you.

"All because you happen to have that little darkness-sealing sword on your back..."

Revali's expression darkened and finally gave way to a scowl, and he briefly lifted his eyes to the blue skies overhead as if in search of some explanation or acceptable solution to his disgruntlement. He found none.

"I mean, it's just...asinine."

He turned his eyes to Link then, looking at him fully for the first time since he had initiated the conversation-and felt his frown deepen. He had expected some level of indignity or defensiveness, but instead was met with...silence. Silence, and a blank expression that gave no indication whatsoever as to what Link was thinking or how he felt about Revali's stinging criticisms-which only served to agitate the Rito further.

Was Link mocking him...?

"... So the revered Hylian Champion does not deign to even grace me with a response? The level of nerve you have is appalling."

Revali leaned down suddenly to glare daggers into Link's eyes, sharpened beak mere inches from the other man's face as he spoke slowly-dangerously.

"Hear me, Hylian. Do not think yourself so grand. 'Prodigy' or not, I wholeheartedly refuse to stand-"

"You're wrong."

A tense silence fell, subtle as a bolt of lightening and just as supercharged. It was the first time Revali had ever heard a single word out of Link's mouth, and he wasn't altogether certain whether he felt offended or just stunned.

Maybe both. Both seemed fitting.

"... Would you care to repeat that?"

"You called me a prodigy just now," Link said, "but you're wrong, as kind of you as it is to think so."

 _It wasn't a compliment, you presumptuous little ingrate,_ Revali wanted to shriek, but the knight went on before he could get the words out. All the while, Link's expression remained composed and unreadable, his tone irritatingly steady.

"I'm standing here now because for every hour of instruction I received, I practiced three more to stay a step ahead. I'm here because my father was well-respected amongst the knights and because I never did anything to damage my own standing...and because I happened to be in the right place at the right time."

For what felt like a long while, Revali just stared, his previous aggravation forgotten for the moment and overtaken by sheer incredulousness and utter disbelief. Even now, Link's perfect mask did not break or even crack.

"... What exactly do you hope to accomplish by telling me this?" The Rito finally asked-no, _demanded._ "Do you think that it will somehow improve my opinion of you?"

"Not in the least," Link said plainly. "But if you're going to despise me, I'd prefer you have the facts straight and any mistaken assumptions dispelled."

(For some inexplicable reason that he could not place right then, the speed and ease with which the princess's appointed knight answered him _grated_ to no end.)

Revali opened his mouth to offer some form of rebuttal, then closed it, then opened it again...only to decide in the end that he had no idea how best to respond to Link's absurd (yet so infuriatingly rational!) reasoning.

The Hylian in question's eyes did not leave his even once.

"Is something the matter, Lord Revali? Your feathers seem a bit ruffled."

There was no undertone of derision to the inquiry or even an ounce of scorn to be found behind the words themselves, but Revali got the distinct feeling that Link was mocking him behind that passive expression, and somehow-somehow that made him even angrier than he might have been if Link had been more forthcoming with his disdain towards the Rito's attitude.

"Nothing is the matter!" He snapped, and turned on his heel to depart...before realizing that storming off like a hatchling throwing a tantrum would most likely not end with his dignity intact. Bearing that in mind, Revali whirled around to face Link again and jabbed a wingtip between his eyes, just short of actually touching him.

"I would suggest that you keep on your toes, _Hylian,_ and think twice before slacking off for even a _fraction_ of a moment. I will _not_ tolerate incompetence-from _you_ least of all."

It was on that note that Revali chose to make his exit, taking to the skies in a flurry of cerulean feathers. He did not look back.

Nevertheless, Link waited until he was a mere speck in the distance before he permitted himself a triumphant huff of laughter.

* * *

A/N:

listen buddy Link's a patient dude but a man can only tolerate so much of a bird's bullshit before he's overtaken by the urge to be a passive-aggressive little punk.

originally this wasn't intended to tie in with the Revali's Flap memory, but i confused myself a bit with the timing of when this would have happened and then some things felt inconsistent and i. yeah. i guess this is very vaguely au, then?

i'm a little worried i made Revali Too pompous here but my reasoning is that these two chuckleheads do gradually ease up on each other as time goes on/as they get more familiar with one another's...personality quirks. that's something to explore another time tho.


End file.
